The Present Disclosure is directed to small and low-profile connectors. More particularly, the Present Disclosure is directed to pluggable-style connectors received within a housing, or guide frame, and which require some sort of exterior latch operable to engage and disengage the connectors from their mated engagement with the housing.
Small and low-profile connectors, such as those used in SFP (Small Form Pluggable) applications are routinely used in electronic devices in which space is at a premium; typically, such connectors are used to make connections with routers and servers. The routers and servers are located in wiring closets, where space is also at a premium. Reliable engagement is desired along with a small size. The need to have a smaller size may affect the reliability of the engagement of the connector. Such a connector has a latch operated by an external operator. In order to provide good engagement, the latches of these connectors are formed with either a large depth or the actuator is provided with a large, vertical stroke for engaging and disengaging the latch. The use of large vertical operating strokes for latches defeats the purpose of reduced sizes of connectors.
A known connector is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,281,937, issued 16 Oct. 2007 to the Assignee of the Present Disclosure, the content of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein; that connector has a plug body with a longitudinal channel formed in it. The channel receives an elongated actuator in the form of a pull tab and the forward end of the actuator has a pin-like, or cylindrical end portion that rides up and down a ramp. The end portion makes contact with a latching member that extends in the channel and over the actuator. Movement of the actuator moves the end portion up and down the ramp, into contact with the latching member, causing it to selectively raise or lower the latching member. Although this connector provides reliable latching, the height required for the latching member to travel in its engagement/disengagement is relatively high and as such, this connector is impractical to use in reduced size settings where more connector density is desired.
The Present Disclosure is therefore directed to a small size, and low profile pluggable connector that overcomes the aforementioned shortcomings and which has a reduced stroke height for actuating the latching member associated with the connector.